“Postcards To Myself” by Leada Wood

As I sit resting having my afternoon coffee on this beautiful sunny day I can hear the birds singing. The air smells sweetly of earthy aromas and finally Spring has sprung! I have been in the garden all morning poking about, watering, watching the bees and taking lots of photos. I love my country life. 

I am still making postcards to myself for the 💯days project.  I have been enjoying just playing with color and some of the tools I don’t normally use. Sometimes it is enough just to let the colors mingle on the paper…and you know I love color! I chose the postcard size as it is manageable for daily work and decided to put encouragements on each one. It is getting a bit challenging to come up with inspirational one liners, so I might use some twice or quotes, but I’m ok with that. The challenge is really just about doing something for 100 days and in the end the feeling of accomplishment is reward enough. 

💯days project- days 30-36

“Postcards To Myself”

Leada Wood©️

Mixed Media

“Creativity Takes Courage” #30

“Postcards To Myself”

Leada Wood©️

“Sweet Moments” #31

“Postcards To Myself”

Leada Wood©️

“Bloom” #32

“Postcards To Myself”

Leada Wood©️

“Collect Beautiful Moments” #33

“Postcards To Myself”

Leada Wood©️

“Look on the bright side” #34

“Postcards To Myself”

Leada Wood©️

“Faith is a bird” #35

“Postcard To Myself”

Leada Wood©️

“Shine” #36

 

 



“The Gift Of The Season”

“Angels We Have Heard On High”

Mixed Media By 

Leada Wood

‘Tis the season of giving, togetherness, joy and the season of busy! I have decided this Holiday to give myself a gift, to enter a season of reflection, to slow down and enjoy each day, to be in the moment. Every day is a gift from our creator. We can’t earn it, buy it or steal it, but it is given to you the moment you open your eyes in the morning. What you choose to do with it is entirely up to you. You can squander it or use your gift to Glorify your Creator. 

We have become a nation that glorifies how busy we are. We carry it like a banner, something to be proud of...like the more we do the better we are. I am not saying you should be idle but maybe, just maybe you are filling your days instead of following your calling or using you abilities wisely. We all have necessary things we have to do to keep us going, like work but sometimes you must choose your battles.

I hope this Holiday season, yes I said Holiday, because to me Holiday encompasses from Thanksgiving to the New Year and all the wonderful celebrations with family and friends. It is a mood and a season of festivities, a season to savor and linger over, a gift of time, to create memories with those you love.

Wishing you a joyous holiday season!

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow or turning.” James 1:17

Gift: something given voluntarily without payment in return, something bestowed or acquired without any particular effort, a special ability or talent. 



 

 



“The Many Faces Of Eve” by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

"The Many Faces Of Eve" ©2019 Leada Wood

"Tear off the mask, your face is glorious." ----Rumi

This painting has had many faces. I started it in a figure painting workshop with Liz Hill several years ago but it was tossed in the unfinished painting stack to deal with later, when inspiration arrived. I cropped the finished (is a painting ever finished?) version to give it more mystery.

Inspiration finally did come but in phases, as most paintings do evolve in stages. I thought it might be interesting for you to see the process that Eve has been through.

The original had shorter hair, but I wanted it longer. I also painted over her face and  added crackle paste to give her texture.

This is another version before I decided she needed longer hair and a new face, back in the pile of unfinished paintings she went.

"The Masque" ©2019 Leada Wood


One day I saw a mask that captured my attention and decided to draw it. I really enjoy drawing with graphite and it is very relaxing to me. This one action created a reaction and got me thinking about the "lost girl' painting.  I retrieved Eve and started working on her again.

     

This is a very rough sketch on velum to see if the mask idea would work on the painting. I decided it would so I added a face and the mask to the girl.

“The Many Faces Of Eve”@2019Leada Wood

One idea usually leads to another and I started thinking of Eve and women in general and how we all hide behind masks at times. We wear many hats or masks throughout life. We are daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, nurse, nanny, cook, housekeeper, and soooo much more! Some have careers added onto all of these titles and change from one role to the next at the drop of a hat.

All of this brainstorming was how I came up with the name, "The Many Faces Of Eve".  In life, just like painting, we undergo so many transitions and they take time. We are all the Daughters of Eve, the mother of humanity, all different but related and we all wear masks at times.

"Behind every mask there is a face, and behind that a story" ----Marty Rubin

Spring Is In The Air, Mixed Media, by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

"Spring Is In The Air" ©2018 Leada Wood

Dragonfly Farm is in full bloom so that must mean spring is right around the corner. Have a great week!

Beginnings, Mixed Media, By Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Beginnings ©2018 Leada Wood

Beginnings are easy, it's the endings that are difficult as you can see from the photo. It is especially true when working with mixed media in a series. Since there is a lot of drying time inbetween, I like to have a lot of beginnings so I can keep working. Mixed Media has lots of layers and you must push and pull those layers with paint until you are satisfied. That's what makes it so intriguing and fun! For me it's all about the process and experimental,  and the adventure always awaits.

Beginnings ©2018 Leada Wood

This is a peek at my paint table. I have two other tables and a wall of shelves with supplies around me when I am working. Mixed Media takes a little more room when working in a series, or at least for me it does. Love seeing all my pretty paint colors while I am working. 

Printed papers ©2018 Leada Wood

This is one container of collage materials that I have made. I use to make papers in every color and still do with my Gelli plate but find I use black collage more and more as it goes with everything. Kind of like that little black dress in your closet. These are hand printed papers and that is another days work.

Background painting ©2018 Leada Wood

Do you see what I see? Might not look like much yet but there are about seven layers on this beginning right now, and I do manipulate the paint by drippage, spritzing alcohol and splattering. I like to keep it transparent while building up the backgrounds, at least most of the time. There are no rules when experimenting with mixed media.  I work in a series of 6-12 substrates at a time creating backgrounds so that when I am ready to develop the painting I have many to choose from and can add more layers.That's the fun about Mixed Media, you never know what you are going to get, kind of like a box of chocolates.

I Hope you enjoyed a peek into my process and studio. Thanks for stopping by!

"Love Is In The Air Mixed Media by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

"Love Is In The Air" ©2018 Leada Wood

"Love Is In The Air" and the stores are filled with, red and pink hearts and cards, candies and romantic sentiments. Real love has nothing to do with all this mass commercialism. Real love is holding the soft hand of a little one or smelling their sweetness. The happiness you feel when you see your kids or grandkids. A  hug from your beloved when you don't deserve one.  Holding hands with your sweetie when you are walking or a nuzzle from your fur baby when you are feeling down.

Our definitions and experiences of love varies and we each have our own opinions, but the greatest of them all is love is one of the commandments. Love can only be felt from the heart and makes us vulnerable but when it is real nothing can compare to it.

Jesus taught about love and how it is the greatest thing and for us to love one another as He loves us. He also taught, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it does not dishonor others, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Love always protect, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres...love never fails. I like that kind of love.

Whatever your definition of love is I hope you feel it in abundance and are surrounded by those you love not only on Valentine's Day but always. 

Wonderland by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

"Wonderland"

The mind is an amazing thing...how one idea turns into another. This piece began life in my art journal as I was thinking about the new year and all the new paths available before me. The many twists and turns, ups and downs of life that we encounter each day. There are guide post and we must be aware of them or we could become lost along the way. Hoping 2018 is a year full of great adventures and may the path take you where your heart desires. 

Happy Birds by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

"When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are. Anything your heart desires will come to you. If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme. When you wish upon a star as dreamers do, fate is kind." -Jiminy Cricket


Happy Birds series, mixed media, #2017 Leada Wood, iHanna 2017 fall postcard swap

Enchanted Forest by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

  Enchanted Forest COPYRIGHT 2015 Leada Wood

I have been enjoying a leisurely pace in the studio, still working just not cranking them out like I was for the challenge. I was thinking about that...I know I can and it was fun rising to the challenge...I think it is good practice so what keeps me from continuing? Life happens as they say. 

The pieces I am working on now are a little more entailed and I am enjoying the process. I guess that is what it is all about anyway when you get down to it...painting for the JOY of it.

Enchanted Forest is 8x8 mixed media and is AVAILABLE.

 It is hard to see the metallic copper and iridescence paint in the photo, sorry you can't see its sparkle.

Thanks for stopping by!

Homage To Mucha by Leada Wood, Texas Artist

Homage To Mucha, Copyright 2015 Leada Wood

 

Just a fun little mixed media piece to honor Alphonse Mucha, the father of Art Nouveau and get me back in the groove after a short rest from the 30/30 challenge.